The parents of a disabled woman fear she could lose her independence after her specially adapted van was damaged in a hit and run incident.

Leah Batchelor was driving along the Knock dual carriageway in East Belfast when another car crashed into the back of her on Friday afternoon.

But the vehicle that ran into her was driven from the scene after, it is claimed, the driver “shouted” at Leah and tried to blame her for the collision.

Police are now investigating the incident which happened at around 3.30pm.

Leah, 23, and from the Dundonald area, was left shaken by the incident, but now faces the prospect of losing the vehicle which is her only means of being able to travel on her own.

Her mum, Allison Batchelor, told Belfast Live: “We have to get the damage looked at to see the full extent of it, but the ramp Leah uses to get into the car has been warped as has a bit underneath the van that supports the ramp. The thing is, you can’t get this sort of thing fixed in any old garage, it’s a specially adapted car and cost a lot of money.

The ramp support strut on Leah Batchelor's van that was damaged in the crash

“To adapt it cost a lot and to fix could cost thousands. But the fella who ran into the back of Leah, he just drove off so we’re left now wondering if it’ll be her insurance that ends up paying out here. Her last insurance bill was £1,800 because it’s such an expensive job to fix anything in the car, but if she has to pay out rather than the fella who did this we’re worried her bill will go up even more.

“Either Leah could end up she can’t afford the insurance or, if the car has to go to the people in England who adapted it, they’ll have it for a few weeks at least. Either way, there’s a chance she will lose the one thing that gives her her independence. It’s just really upsetting this has happened. Accidents happen, fair enough, but you deal with it and you face the consequences. You don’t drive off and leave a disabled woman at the side of the road.”

Leah, 27, is wheelchair-bound after suffering a stroke when she was 21 and studying at university. Her VW Caddy is specially adapted so she can manoeuvre her wheelchair into it and drive it. A specialist firm in Birmingham adapted it. Leah’s family say there is one garage in Belfast that can do minor repairs, but if major work is needed it will have to be sent to England. A specialist is hoped to look at the vehicle this week to assess the damage.

Leah Batchelor's parents say it would have been obvious to the other driver that Leah was a disabled driver

Mrs Batchelor said Leah was on her way back from a treatment session at Knockbracken Healthcare when the crash happened.

She added: “The crash happened just as she was going over the brow of the hill, just past the big garage and the car showroom on the left. She was shunted with such force that she hit the car in front of her. The lady in that car got out and once she realised what had happened she was very good and she stayed with Leah until the police and her daddy arrived.

“We just hope the fella who did this is either caught or his conscience gets the better of him and he comes forward. The fact he started shouting at Leah is just terrible.

"It’s just not fair for Leah to be left with the bill for this. Hopefully people will come forward having seen what happened and they’ll have details about the car that hit Leah.”

Leah’s family say they are hopeful that CCTV at a number of nearby businesses will have captured the other vehicle either before or after the crash. They say the other driver, believed to have been in a white Ford Ka, did a U-turn in the carriageway before heading in the direction of the Braniel estate.

She added that it would have been obvious to the person who drove into Leah that she was a disabled person in a specially adapted vehicle.

The section of the Knock dual carriageway where the crash happened. Pic Google

Leah has some difficulty with her speech, but told Belfast Live she feared the Fire Service might have to cut her out of the vehicle. She can only get in and out via the ramp at the rear.

The police said they are “appealing for information following a three vehicle road traffic collision within the vicinity of Knockmount Park on Friday, 11 August”.

Sergeant White said: “Police received reports shortly after 3:30 pm that there had been a three vehicle RTC involving a blue Renault Clio, blue VW Caddy and a white Ford Ka. The white Ford Ka is believed to have driven off in the direction of Ballygown Road leaving the other two vehicles at the scene. Thankfully nobody was injured as a result of this.

“Anybody with information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 754 11/07/2017, or if they wish to remain anonymous Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”